SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Emio: The Smiling Man’, ‘Gundam Breaker 4’, Plus Today’s Other Releases and Sales

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 29th, 2024. We’ve got another big plate of new releases to check out today, and that’s going to be the bulk of the column as it usually is on Thursdays. We also have a relatively hefty list of new sales to delve into, and that’s really about it. We can’t have Nintendo Directs every day, after all. Let’s get to the games!

Select New Releases

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club ($49.99)

After a few decades without any sequels, Famicom Detective Club is back. This new case is very faithful to the original games, for better or worse. You get an entirely new mystery to unravel, and in terms of the presentation it’s relatively similar to the remake releases in Switch a little while back. Can you solve the latest serial murder case? I’ll be giving it a try in my review, coming soon.

Gundam Breaker 4 ($59.99)

Mikhail has already written a veritable book on this game in his review, so I’ll just direct you towards that if you want a full breakdown of the gameplay and how it performs on Switch. The short version is that you’re building and battling Gunplas, and while this Switch port is obviously going to falter behind the others in terms of performance, it does the job well enough that if it’s the option in front of you, it’s more than fine. Anyway, go read Mikhail’s review. It’s a goodie.

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn ($19.99)

Tengo Project has had a very good run with its remakes/re-imaginings so far. Wild Guns Reloaded, The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors, and Pocky & Rocky Reshrined brought back some 16-bit cult favorites with a lot of awesome extras. Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn sees the team applying its touch to an 8-bit game, and as you might imagine it’s quite a bit more different from its source material than the aforementioned games. Still, if you’re fixing for an action-platformer with a classic style, this will serve you. I’ll be reviewing this early next week, so watch for that.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion ($19.99)

This is a follow-up to Valfaris, but don’t expect more of the same kind of gameplay you saw in that game. No, this is a 2.5D side-scrolling shoot ’em up, and it’s decent enough. I think some people were caught off guard by the genre shift and were put off as a result, but embrace the change and you’ll find plenty to enjoy. Yes, this is another one I’ve got a review coming up for. Funny how that works!

Nour: Play With Your Food ($9.99)

I’d like to pretend I know what’s going on with this game, but I really don’t. Those sure are some nice images of food, though. And you’re meant to play with all of that? Take some pictures, I guess? Look for secrets? Maybe I’ll dispatch our pal Mikhail to investigate this further. It seems like his sort of thing.

Monster Jam Showdown ($49.99)

If you like monsters, or you like jam, then… I have no idea if you’ll like this game. It’s about Monster Jam, the monster truck thing. No preserves or strawberries or goblins at all. Well, what can you do? It has support for multiplayer, both local and online, and seems to have plenty of modes and such to play around with. It seems to have met with a middling reaction on other platforms, but monster truck fans don’t have a whole lot of choices in front of them, I suppose. If that’s you, do what you must.

WitchSpring R ($39.99)

I think this is a remake of the original WitchSpring, but I might be wrong about that. WitchSpring to me was always the mobile “we have Atelier at home" series, and in that capacity and at that price point, it served its role well enough. Now that it’s getting very near to the price of an actual Atelier game, I’m not sure if I’m quite so on board with it. But if you’re willing to give it a go, it does look like the nicest WitchSpring game so far.

Depths of Sanity ($19.99)

Oh, this is one of those undersea exploration games. Those always have an interesting vibe to them. This one leans into the fantastical horror side of things, as you might expect from the title. You’re trying to figure out what happened to your missing crew, and you’ll have to poke around a big, dangerous interconnected underwater world to sort it all out. Yes, there will be fighting. This one is well-regarded on other platforms by fans of exploratory action games, and I suspect it will find an eager following on the Switch as well.

Voltaire: The Vegan Vampire ($19.99)

Kids, am I right? Voltaire is rebelling against his vampiric daddy by taking up a vegan lifestyle to prove there are other ways to live than biting necks. Daddy doesn’t dig that, and is going to try to teach his son a lesson. What this amounts to is farming, of course. This is the Switch, after all. But also some action, because you’re going to need to fend off daddy’s attempts to mess things up for you. I’m a little bit burnt out on this genre at the moment, but if you’re more energetic about picking up a hoe than I am you might want to check this one out.

Marble Abduction! Patti Hattu ($11.79)

One of those marble roller games, this one with seventy stages and eighty marbles to collect. There are some secret collectibles to find, and special challenges that will score you some of the rarer marbles. The usual appeal is here of trying to go as fast as you can without flying off the track, so if that’s your thing then here is a heaping helping of it.

Leo: The Firefighter Cat ($24.99)

We’ve seen a few firefighting games on the Switch so far, but most of them aim for a somewhat realistic style. But you know what? Kids can often be interested in firefighting too, and there might be something in a firefighting game more geared towards their tastes. There are twenty missions here, and it seems to have the main details you would want to see in this kind of thing. I doubt it’s Fancy Feast, but it will probably do the job for the right kind of kid.

Gori: Cuddly Carnage ($21.99)

And on the opposite end of the cat game spectrum, here is a grotesque action game about a hoverboarding cat who slices and dices his foes with glee. Early reports seem to indicate that the game itself is decent enough, but this Switch version suffers from a lot of technical issues that drag down the overall experience to a meaningful degree. Not to the point where there isn’t any joy to be had in it, but worth thinking twice about if you’re bothered by framerate issues at the very least.

Arcade Archives Finalizer Super Transformation ($7.99)

You know, I consider myself a relatively knowledgeable fellow when it comes to video games. But every once in a while, Hamster pulls out a game for Arcade Archives that I really have no memory of, and this 1985 Konami vertical shooter fits that bill. The gimmick here is that instead of a ship, you’re a transforming robot hero of some sort. Let’s call it a Blundam. Grab power-ups to change your form or activate various powers. As shooters go, this is very much a post-Xevious pre-Tiger Heli affair. There’s a charm to that, if that’s the flavor you’re after.

EGGCONSOLE Xanadu Scenario II PC-8801mkIISR ($6.49)

A very early example of an expansion pack for a video game, Xanadu Scenario II gives you a whole new underworld to explore. Since this was originally an expansion and not a new game, the gameplay mechanics and many other elements are identical to the first game. It’s naturally more difficult too, so you’ll likely want to finish the first game before trying this one. The most noteworthy thing about it? This game features the debut of the legendary video game composer Yuzo Koshiro, then just 18 years old. That might be reason enough alone to drop the cash for this depending on your tastes and interest in gaming history.

The Backrooms: Survival ($10.99)

A bit of horror, a bit of survival, a bit of roguelite, and overall a game that many players have enjoyed over on PC. You can play with up to ten players online, and that’s really the ideal experience for this game. Playing solo, it’s going to be more of a specific taste thanks to its repetitive-by-design nature.

Can of Wormholes ($19.99)

You are a sentient tin can, and you need to deal with worms in a variety of ways in this clever little puzzle game. You get one hundred hand-crafted puzzles to solve, and the game is really sharp about sprinkling in new ideas as you go so that it never gets stuck in a rut. Something of a whiff of Stephen’s Sausage Roll about it, and that is in no way a bad thing. A real winner for puzzle game fans, if you ask me.

Ninja I & II ($9.99)

A pair of modern NES games running under emulation that are essentially a ninja spin on Wario Ware-style microgames. All of them are competitive, so you’re either pulling in a friend for local multiplayer or going up against a CPU that may or may not drive you up the wall. Kind of neat to see game like these running on NES specs, if nothing else.

Dice Make 10! ($3.99)

Sometimes these unassuming titles can be a lot of fun, and this is one that does it for me. You have two modes of play here, one with Tetris-style falling blocks and the other where you’re just placing pieces like those wood block puzzle games. Regardless of which version you play, your goal is make rows or columns where the faces of the dice add up to ten or multiples of ten. They’ll clear out, and on you go with the next line. Yes, I like it. Very good.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

It’s the 30th anniversary of The King of Fighters, and Hamster and SNK are celebrating with a sale on every single game in the series on Arcade Archives. Time to finish your collection if you haven’t got them already. There are also a ton of Pixel Game Maker Series games at their lowest prices yet, so if you’ve been holding off on those, perhaps now is the moment. Nothing too thrilling outside of those, but you might as well check while you’re at it. A few good indies in the outbox, so I recommend giving that a scan as well.

Select New Sales

Kamitsubaki City Ensemble ($3.59 from $3.99 until 9/3)
Floogen ($1.99 from $3.99 until 9/4)
Rolling Car ($1.99 from $7.99 until 9/4)
Fluffy Horde ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/4)
Gum+ ($1.99 from $7.99 until 9/4)
Stunt Paradise ($5.19 from $7.99 until 9/4)
My Time at Portia ($4.49 from $29.99 until 9/6)
SpongeBob Krusty Cook-Off ($4.94 from $14.99 until 9/9)
PPA Pickleball Tour 2025 ($29.99 from $49.99 until 9/11)
Talisman: Digital Edition ($2.99 from $5.99 until 9/12)
Mystic Vale ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)
Baron of Blood ($4.95 from $9.90 until 9/12)
Fighting Fantasy Legends ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)
Deathtrap Dungeon ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)
White Eternal ($3.24 from $6.49 until 9/12)

ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’94 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’95 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’96 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’97 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’98 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’99 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters 2000 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters 2001 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters 2002 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters 2003 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
Kittey 64 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/12)
Last Bloody Snack ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Cat and Tower ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Cat and Castle ($3.74 from $4.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Pentacore ($6.59 from $9.99 until 9/12)

PGMS BombMachine Gunzohg ($3.95 from $5.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Pearl Vs Grey ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Hunter of Devil ($3.74 from $4.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Lunlun Superherobabys DX ($3.74 from $4.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Storm Swordsman ($5.27 from $7.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Project Nosferatu ($8.99 from $14.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Ninja Runner ($2.50 from $5.00 until 9/12)
PGMS Ninja Sneaking R ($3.59 from $5.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Ninja Sneaking VS ($3.60 from $6.00 until 9/12)
PGMS Angel’s Gear ($7.49 from $9.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Angel’s Blood ($5.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Ninja Otedama R ($3.59 from $5.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Tentacled Terrors ($8.99 from $11.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Loplight ($3.29 from $4.99 until 9/12)
PGMS ClaM KNight ($2.99 from $5.99 until 9/12)

PGMS Jetman ($5.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Lab ($4.19 from $6.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Steel Sword Story S ($5.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Arcanion: Tale of Magi ($6.59 from $10.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Shiba Mekuri ($2.74 from $5.49 until 9/12)
PGMS Buraigun Galaxy Storm ($8.99 from $11.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Block Slime Cave ($3.50 from $7.00 until 9/12)
PGMS Game Battle Tycoon ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/12)
PGMS MessiahEnd Refrain ($2.99 from $4.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Oma2ri Adventure ($2.47 from $4.95 until 9/12)
PGMS Dandan Z ($5.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Cham The Cat Adventure ($5.49 from $10.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Verzeus ($7.91 from $11.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Oumuamua ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/12)
PGMS Jewelinx ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/12)

Sushi Battle Rambunctiously ($13.99 from $19.99 until 9/13)
My Incubi Harem ($2.99 from $4.99 until 9/13)
Hot Blood ($7.49 from $9.99 until 9/13)
Jenny LeClue Detectivu ($2.99 from $24.99 until 9/18)
Asterix & Obelix Slap Them All ($12.49 from $24.99 until 9/18)
The Sisters 2 Road to Fame ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/18)
Noob: The Factionless ($19.99 from $39.99 until 9/18)
New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja ($11.99 from $29.99 until 9/18)
Garfield Lasagna Party ($15.99 from $39.99 until 9/18)
Muv-Luv Remastered ($26.99 from $29.99 until 9/19)
Muv-Luv Alternative Remastered ($35.99 from $39.99 until 9/19)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 30th

#BLUD ($19.99 from $24.99 until 8/30)
8th Millennium: WAtPG ($7.49 from $29.99 until 8/30)
Alpha Particle ($3.39 from $9.99 until 8/30)
Batman: The Enemy Within ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/30)
Batman: The Telltale Series ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/30)
Empire of Angels IV ($6.79 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Enter Digiton: Heart of Corruption ($2.39 from $7.99 until 8/30)
Forager ($6.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Hell Well ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/30)
Midnight Fight Express ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Mineko’s Night Market ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Moonscars ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)

OBAKEIDORO ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Puddle Knights ($2.99 from $9.99 until 8/30)
Roxy Raccoon’s Pinball Panic ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/30)
Slay the Spire ($8.49 from $24.99 until 8/30)
Space Mercenary Defense Force ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/30)
Super Woden GP ($5.99 from $11.99 until 8/30)
Supraland ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Surmount ($9.89 from $14.99 until 8/30)
The Last Dragon Slayer ($3.74 from $14.99 until 8/30)
The Last Worker ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Thunder Ray ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/30)
Unpacking ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Void Bastards ($8.99 from $29.99 until 8/30)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow to finish up the week, with the remaining new releases, sales, and major news items on the schedule. Maybe some reviews? Perhaps. We’ll see. There’s a huge typhoon blowing through here this week, and I should acknowledge there is a chance I won’t be able to get to my office to do tomorrow’s article. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!